(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a voice signal processing device connected to a smart device and more particularly to a smart phone, a tablet computer that has a voice signal input and output function mounted thereon, that returns a sound generated by the smart device or a sound generated in the exterior, into the smart device as a high-quality sound by extracting a voice signal from a wire connecting the smart device 10 and the ear receiver 21 and inputting the extracted voice signal into the input terminal 12 of the microphone 22 of the smart device 10.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a smart device 10 such as a smart phone, a tablet computer or the like that utilize a multi-function information device include high performance processing unit, a large capacity memory unit and a high resolution touch screen are mounted to perform a variety of application programs, rather than being used as a simple communication device. In other words, the smart device 10 overcomes the temporal and spatial constraints in using an information device by minimizing power consumption and maximizing portability through miniaturization and reduction of weight, and the miniaturization and reduction of weight are accomplished by applying an integrated input and output device having combined input and output functions. For example, a touch screen of the smart devices 10, and integration of the processing unit and the memory unit are typically embedded in the smart device 10.
Currently, smart devices 10 have performance comparable to those of general desktop computers in processing speed. Since an application program performing various functions such a game, a multimedia information processing function and the like is executed according thereto, a function of inputting and outputting a high-quality voice signal is also included. Although input and output of a voice signal of the smart device 10 can be performed through a built-in speaker and a built-in microphone, a voice input and output device can be omitted. Alternately, the output power can be insufficient based on the miniaturization and weight reduction of the smart device 10 described above. Accordingly, a detachable device such an earphone as shown in FIG. 1 is utilized.
In a conventional voice signal input and output device for a smart device 10, a structure of configuring an earphone jack 23 at an end of a wire to which an ear receive 21 and a microphone 22 are connected are in FIG. 1 and are combined with the smart device 10 such as a smart phone or the like. In other words a structure of driving the ear receiver 21 using a voice signal output from the smart device 10 and inputting a voice signal generated by the microphone 22 into the smart device 10, and although the ear receiver 21 and the microphone 22 are integrated by appearance, they respectively have independent structures in an electrical behavior.
Accordingly, in a conventional earphone mounting a microphone 22 as shown in FIG. 1, the ear receiver 21 outputs a voice signal transmitted from the smart device 10, and the microphone 22 inputs a sound generated from the exterior into the smart device 10, and thus any type of interaction cannot be expected at all between the voice output signal and the input signal of the smart device 10. Individual processing of the output voice signal and the input voice signal necessarily invites limitation in utilizing the smart device 10, and, for example, there must be a constraint in the process of minimizing loss and distortion of a sound output from the smart device 10 and recording the sound or adding the sound to a recorded video.
In particular, when a situation of recording a sound generated by the smart device 10 into the same smart device 10 is assumed, a sound output from a built-in speaker or the ear receiver 21 and propagates in the air and is recorded in a method of inputting the sound into a built-in microphone or the microphone 22 mounting an earphone. The volume and quality must be degraded. Particularly, when a user executes a moving image capture application program while playing a game using the smart device 10 and records a game screen together with a sound or plays back a music file recorded in the smart device 10 while photographing a moving image using the smart device 10 and inserts the music as background music, this function cannot be sufficiently utilized with all the superior voice input and out and voice processing performance of the smart device 10 itself and does not meet the expectation of the user.
The above information disclosed in this section is merely for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.